Method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure

• US 20040049522A1
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Health Language, Inc. (Wolters Kluwer Nv)
• Original Assignee: Health Language, Inc. (Wolters Kluwer Nv)
• Inventors: Streepy, Larry V. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure by selecting a concept object stored in the multi-level data structure, displaying a first image representing the selected concept object, displaying one or more second images generally above the first image, and displaying a first connector connecting each second image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more child concept objects, one or more third images are displayed generally below the first image, and a second connector is displayed connecting each third image to the first image. Whenever the selected concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, one or more fourth images are displayed generally on one or both sides of the first image, and a third connector is displayed connecting each fourth image to the first image.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing with a multi-level data structure comprising the steps of:

selecting a concept object stored in the multi-level data structure;

displaying a first image representing the selected concept object;

displaying one or more second images generally above the first image, each second image representing a parent concept object of the selected concept object;

displaying a first connector connecting each second image to the first image;

whenever the selected concept object has one or more child concept objects, displaying one or more third images generally below the first image, each third image representing a child concept object of the selected concept object, and displaying a second connector connecting each third image to the first image; and

whenever the selected concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, displaying one or more fourth images generally on one or both sides of the first image, each fourth image representing a lateral concept object of the selected concept object, and displaying a third connector connecting each fourth image to the first image.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

selecting a new concept object from either the selected concept object, the one or more parent concept objects, the one or more children concept objects or the one or more lateral concept objects;

displaying a fifth image representing the selected new concept object;

displaying one or more sixth images generally above the fifth image, each sixth image representing a parent concept object of the selected new concept object;

displaying a fourth connector connecting each sixth image to the fifth image;

whenever the selected new concept object has one or more child concept objects, displaying one or more seventh images generally below the fifth image, each seventh image representing a child concept object of the selected new concept object, and displaying a fifth connector connecting each seventh image to the fifth image; and

whenever the selected new concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, displaying one or more eighth images generally on one or both sides of the fifth image, each eighth image representing a lateral concept object of the selected new concept object, and displaying a sixth connector connecting each eighth image to the fifth image.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth images comprise text strings.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first image is highlighted.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth images, and the first, second and third connectors are displayed within a first viewing area.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of displaying one or more attributes of the selected concept object in a second viewing area.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of displaying one or more details of the selected concept object in a third viewing area.

8. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of displaying one or more terms associated with the selected concept object in a fourth viewing area.

9. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of displaying a work area for temporarily storing terms in a fifth viewing area.

10. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

selecting either a microglossary panel, a term facet panel, a relations facet panel or a term phrase editor panel; and

displaying the selected panel in a sixth viewing area.

13. The computer program as recited in claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth images comprise text strings.

14. The computer program as recited in claim 1 wherein the first image is highlighted.

15. The computer program as recited in claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth images, and the first, second and third connectors are displayed within a first viewing area.

16. The computer program as recited in claim 15 further comprising a code segment for displaying one or more attributes of the selected concept object in a second viewing area.

17. The computer program as recited in claim 15 further comprising a code segment for displaying one or more details of the selected concept object in a third viewing area.

18. The computer program as recited in claim 15 further comprising a code segment for displaying one or more terms associated with the selected concept object in a fourth viewing area.

19. The computer program as recited in claim 15 further comprising a code segment for displaying a work area for temporarily storing terms in a fifth viewing area.

20. The computer program as recited in claim 15 further comprising:

a code segment for selecting either a microglossary panel, a term facet panel, a relations facet panel or a term phrase editor panel; and

a code segment for displaying the selected panel in a sixth viewing area.

11. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for interfacing with a multi-level data structure comprising:

a code segment for selecting a concept object stored in the multi-level data structure;

a code segment for displaying a first image representing the selected concept object;

a code segment for displaying one or more second images generally above the first image, each second image representing a parent concept object of the selected concept object;

a code segment for displaying a first connector connecting each second image to the first image;

a code segment for whenever the selected concept object has one or more child concept objects, displaying one or more third images generally below the first image, each third image representing a child concept object of the selected concept object, and displaying a second connector connecting each third image to the first image; and

a code segment for whenever the selected concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, displaying one or more fourth images generally on one or both sides of the first image, each fourth image representing a lateral concept object of the selected concept object, and displaying a third connector connecting each fourth image to the first image.

12. The computer program as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

a code segment for selecting a new concept object from either the selected concept object, the one or more parent concept objects, the one or more children concept objects or the one or more lateral concept objects;

a code segment for displaying a fifth image representing the selected new concept object;

a code segment for displaying one or more sixth images generally above the fifth image, each sixth image representing a parent concept object of the selected new concept object;

a code segment for displaying a fourth connector connecting each sixth image to the fifth image;

a code segment for whenever the selected new concept object has one or more child objects, displaying one or more seventh images generally below the fifth image, each seventh image representing a child concept object of the selected new concept object, and displaying a fifth connector connecting each seventh image to the fifth image; and

a code segment for whenever the selected new concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, displaying one or more eighth images generally on one or both sides of the fifth image, each eighth image representing a lateral concept object of the selected new concept object, and displaying a sixth connector connecting each eighth image to the fifth image.

21. A system for interfacing with a multi-level data structure comprising:

a computer;

a display communicably connected to the display;

a memory communicably connected to the computer for storing the multi-level data structure;

a computer program resident on the computer for;

selecting a concept object stored in the multi-level data structure, displaying a first image representing the selected concept object on the display,

displaying one or more second images generally above the first image on the display, each second image representing a parent concept object of the selected concept object and displaying a first connector on the display connecting each second image to the first image,

whenever the selected concept object has one or more child concept objects, displaying one or more third images on the display generally below the first image, each third image representing a child concept object of the selected concept object and displaying a second connector on the display connecting each third image to the first image, and

whenever the selected concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, displaying one or more fourth images on the display generally on one or both sides of the first image, each fourth image representing a lateral concept object of the selected concept object and displaying a third connector on the display connecting each fourth image to the first image.

22. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the computer program:

selects a new concept object from either the selected concept object, the one or more parent concept objects, the one or more children concept objects or the one or more lateral concept objects;

displays a fifth image on the display representing the selected new concept object;

displays one or more sixth images on the display generally above the fifth image, each sixth image representing a parent concept object of the selected new concept object;

displays a fourth connector on the display connecting each sixth image to the fifth image;

whenever the selected new concept object has one or more child concept objects, displays one or more seventh images on the display generally below the fifth image, each seventh image representing a child concept object of the selected new concept object, and displays a fifth connector on the display connecting each seventh image to the fifth image; and

whenever the selected new concept object has one or more lateral concept objects, displays one or more eighth images on the display generally on one or both sides of the fifth image, each eighth image representing a lateral concept object of the selected new concept object, and displays a sixth connector on the display connecting each eighth image to the fifth image.

23. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the first, second, third and fourth images comprise text strings.

24. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the first image is highlighted.

25. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the first, second, third and fourth images, and the first, second and third connectors are displayed within a first viewing area.

26. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the computer program displays one or more attributes of the selected concept object in a second viewing area.

27. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the computer program displays one or more details of the selected concept object in a third viewing area.

28. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the computer program displays one or more terms associated with the selected concept object in a fourth viewing area.

29. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the computer program displays a work area for temporarily storing terms in a fifth viewing area.

30. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the computer program:

selects either a microglossary panel, a term facet panel, a relations facet panel or a term phrase editor panel; and

displays the selected panel in a sixth viewing area.